Saudi Arabia’s Power & Water Utility Company for Jubail & Yanbu (Marafiq) has formed a joint venture with France’s Saur for the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater assets in the industrial city of Jubail.

The joint venture was formed on 26 December after the parties signed the agreement on 10 August.

Assets that will be operated by the joint venture include three desalination plants, water tanks, pumping stations, the local water supply network and the sewerage network, as well as two wastewater treatment plants.

Waleed al-Nuwaiser in association with US law firm White & Case advised Saur in the transaction.

Under a separate agreement, which was signed in 2011, Saur manages water services in Mecca and Taif under a five-year contract.